Zhang Yong Chun
07-24-2008, 08:36 AM
This is something that has bothered me for years. With the advent of the internet, perhaps someone knows the answer.
My Grandfather was born in Puerto Rico in the 1800's. I don't know the exact date, but he grew up near the capital, San Juan, and in his youth was quite a fighter.
He knew nothing about China, Japan, or Korea, but practiced some kind of system involving machetes, knives, and bamboo sticks. It sounds like a form of filipino martial arts to me, but machetes and bamboo are common enough in the Caribbean that all sorts of people could have come up a martial arts that use them.
From the little I've seen of it, I would say my Dad received 25% of what my Grandfather knew and I have 10% of what my father learned.
Grandfather was the village champion. He was known for fighting off assorted bandits and ne'er-do-wells, but never formally taught anyone nor did he leave behind any clues as to where he learned his skills or who his "successor" was.
The question is: what art did he practice? The only clues I have are: it was a family system, it is or was an indigenous martial art to Puerto Rico in the 1800's, and that it used machetes and sticks as the primary weapon.
Any clues?
My Grandfather was born in Puerto Rico in the 1800's. I don't know the exact date, but he grew up near the capital, San Juan, and in his youth was quite a fighter.
He knew nothing about China, Japan, or Korea, but practiced some kind of system involving machetes, knives, and bamboo sticks. It sounds like a form of filipino martial arts to me, but machetes and bamboo are common enough in the Caribbean that all sorts of people could have come up a martial arts that use them.
From the little I've seen of it, I would say my Dad received 25% of what my Grandfather knew and I have 10% of what my father learned.
Grandfather was the village champion. He was known for fighting off assorted bandits and ne'er-do-wells, but never formally taught anyone nor did he leave behind any clues as to where he learned his skills or who his "successor" was.
The question is: what art did he practice? The only clues I have are: it was a family system, it is or was an indigenous martial art to Puerto Rico in the 1800's, and that it used machetes and sticks as the primary weapon.
Any clues?